Marijuana is a substance that comes from the leaves, stems, seeds and flowers of
cannabis sativa. Usually ingested by smoking, marijuana can also be mixed in food
or brewed into a tea. The main active ingredient in marijuana is THC or delta-9-
tetrahydrocannabinol. Due to cross breeding of extremely potent strains and highly
advanced growing and processing methods, the THC content of marijuana today is higher
than it has ever been. Within minutes of smoking marijuana, full saturation of the blood
is achieved, and physiologic effects can occur in as little as 20 minutes. The physiologic
effects of marijuana can last for up to four hours or even longer.

Marijuana has a number of physical effects as well, and these can be particularly apparent
in athletes. In the world of sports, particularly in basketball, medical marijuana can have
some significant effects with regard to the performance of athletes. While the negative
effects of marijuana have been well publicized, its medicinal uses have only recently
been subjected to widespread scrutiny. Already approved for fast medical marijuana card use in several states including California, Colorado, Maine and Michigan, marijuana has been found to have
considerable benefits in terms of easing the symptoms of glaucoma, migraine, and even
multiple sclerosis.

In the world of sports, a number of high profile athletes have been known to use
marijuana and even others things just check this latest drug enhancement story. Some of the more publicized cases include Olympic champion Michael Phelps
and two-time Super Bowl champion Mark Stepnoski, who upon retiring from the NFL in
2001 spoke of the benefits of responsible marijuana use.

For basketball players who are routinely subjected to various physical and mental
stresses, marijuana can be particularly beneficial. With its painkilling, muscle relaxing
and antidepressant qualities, many basketball players and other athletes have opted
to use medical marijuana responsibly as an alternative to traditional pharmaceutical
medications.

More recently, marijuana has been identified as a particularly effective anti-inflammatory
agent, with the ability to effectively ease the symptoms of a variety of basketball related
injuries. For cases, wherein the traditional alternative is narcotics-based pain relievers,
the medical benefits of marijuana and its lack of side effects make it a viable alternative
for helping basketball players deal with sports related injuries.